Experts welcome pregnancy diet incentives

Experts have given a cautious welcome to the news that the government plans to give £120 to pregnant women to encourage them to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Health secretary Alan Johnson announced the measure last week, revealing that the move may help to protect infants from childhood diseases and reduce the gap between the rich and the poor.

Lisa Miles, a spokeswoman for the British Nutrition Foundation, stressed the importance for both mother and child of following a healthy diet during pregnancy.

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'Any measures to improve diets at this time are worth investigating,' she claimed.

However, the expert noted: 'It is important to pilot such schemes to make sure that they have the desired effects on diet in pregnancy.'

Ms Miles also suggested that there may be something of a postcode lottery when it comes to accessing health information.

'I think there is a lot of useful nutrition information available for women during pregnancy, but access to this is likely to vary according to socio-economic factors and access to good healthcare facilities,' she said.

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